Meet Araks Sargsyan | Creature Designer & Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Araks Sargsyan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Araks, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
I personally would break inspiration down into two stages: raw and processed. Art and nature serve as the primary sources of inspiration for me. I find my muse in music, discover shapes in insects, and seek order within the pages of books. Though seemingly chaotic, my duty lies in translating this amalgamation into something comprehensible. It challenges me to weave threads of coherence through the intricate web of chaos. Music, insects, and books provide the raw inspiration, while the resultant web of chaotic information represents the processed inspiration—where various elements converge, intertwine, and multiply, giving rise to new ideas. Art and nature, and the inspiration derived from them, profoundly inspire me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
After graduating university, I started experimenting with different media and researching different universities for further studies, until I found Cinema Makeup School in LA, which was very expensive for a young artist who was trying to figure out what she wants to do. But fortunately, I found scholarship programs for education at Cinema Makeup School, and those programs were competitions. So I started applying. I got really close to winning the Next Level Of Cosplay competition with my Xenomorph cosplay, which was so challenging to execute in Armenia because there were no “right” materials to purchase for making a piece (which was a full-body wearable costume) like it. So I had to unlearn and forget about all the techniques, tricks, and nice materials which I had no option of getting in Armenia and be extra creative and use whatever I could find in house remodeling material stores.

The competition included public voting, which I won, but unfortunately, I didn’t get the scholarship. Later next year, I decided that I’m going to try to enter another scholarship contest one more time, without telling anyone. I developed the creature design called “Eisheth” and came up with her backstory, submitted, and won the Legends of Creature Design scholarship from Studio ADI. I was so ready to come to the States for my long-awaited education, but I got rejected at the embassy twice. Then COVID happened, and later that same year, war started in my country. Long story short, it took me a while to get here and receive my education. My time at CMS was a significant milestone in my life. Learning from exceptional teachers like Andy Schoneberg and Jake Corrick was invaluable. CMS not only provided the knowledge I was eager for but also served as a vital link connecting me with numerous industry legends.

As you can see, it wasn’t easy getting here. But, was it worth it? Absolutely YES. So don’t ever listen to people who try to discourage you by saying that you’re a ‘dreamer’; they’re just lacking their own dreams.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely take them to the oceanside, just for a full day of bicycle riding across the shore. Museums and bookstores are a MUST on my list, so we would dedicate a few days to those, from the Getty to the Academy Museum. Since I love visiting various cemeteries (in my opinion, you can fully feel the spirit and culture of the city in their cemeteries), we would go to Hollywood Forever Cemetery and have a silent walk there. As for food, LA is the best because it has so many international cuisines. If I had to pick a place, it would be Raffi’s Place in Glendale.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a heartfelt shoutout to my dear friend and colleague, Jonny Day! Not only is Jonny an exceptional artist, but he also embodies the kind of person I wish everyone had as a friend. Despite his amazing artistic talent, Jonny’s genuine character and unwavering support make him truly special.

Website: https://araxalice.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arax_alice_sargsyan/